Monday, September 07, 2009

Being

Yesterday I spent the day in my pajamas.
I'd have the flu since Thursday night.
I ignored my pounding head and went to work Friday anyway
because I had stuff to do.
As if I was indispensable.
Ha. As if.

I kept trying to ignore the body aches and fever and headache
until yesterday when it became clear
that ignoring it wasn't going to work any longer.
So I stayed in my pjs and did nothing productive all day.

Doing so helped me see that I have been living a driven life lately.
Pressured by unrealistic expectations of myself.
I wasn't aware of that before yesterday.
I was too busy trying to get things done.
As if that is the only sensible way to spend a three day weekend.

Nine years ago I had a bout of Bell's Palsy.
It's never completely resolved itself.
Whenever my immune system is under attack
that side of my face goes numb and droops.
It feels similar to having been to the dentist
and leaving his office with a tingly face
that feels funny when you touch it.

Yesterday my face went numb again.
I can still feel the tingling as I type.
Right from my forehead to my chin.
My body tries to talk to me.
To get my attention so that I will take care of her.
Sometimes she has to shout
so that I will stop long enough to listen.

It's hard to let go of what seems
like a mile long to do list.
To do nothing on a long weekend but rest.
I thought I had learned through my years of spoon counting that being was more important than doing.

7 comments:

Anonymous :) said...

When your body talks, it's always good to listen. The list of things to do never ends.

annie said...

Take care of yourself Hope. I hope you get to feeling better soon.

One Prayer Girl said...

Happy "being" Hope!

PG

Enchanted Oak said...

How lovely was your musing in your pjs about being ill. Very poignant. Hope has to be my favorite word, too. I have it in Chinese characters on my wall at home, in my garden, in my heart.

Enchanted Oak said...

P.S. Forgot to say thanks for visiting my blog. It meant a great deal to open it up and find your comment. I hope you come back and see me again. I don't know how to become a follower of yours, so I'll just make you a favorite!

One Crafty Mother said...

I'm so sorry you're not feeling well. You write beautifully even when you're ill, though!

Bell's palsy is awful. I hope everything starts feeling better soon. Good for you for listening to your body and taking a little slow-down time.

daisymarie said...

Sounds like you've learned it well: principles in the head. Now, it seems you are learning the practice. And even the word seems to lend to the process of learning: doing again and again. Hmmmm.